What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "to more late".
Which one should you use?
While a più tardi implies seeing someone later the same day, a presto is used when you expect to see someone soon, but not necessarily within the same day. For a different context, alla prossima means "see you next time".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
a più tardi is a common, casual way to say goodbye among friends or acquaintances. For a more formal way to say goodbye or see you later, you can use arrivederci. If you want an informal word that can be used for both hello and goodbye, you can use ciao. Another informal option is a dopo, which literally means "later".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of a più tardi is /a‿pˌpju‿tˈtar.di/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word più is an old relative of the English word 'full' or 'plenty', stemming from the idea of 'more' or 'many'.
- Even though the word più is written with a single 'p', many regional Italian speakers will pronounce it with a double 'p' sound through a process called autogemination.
- The word ciao can be used immediately after a più tardi as a friendly closer, creating a double goodbye that is very common in casual speech.
Examples in context
- Ciao a tutti! Ci vediamo più tardi!Goodbye, everyone! See you later!
- A più tardi, allora!See you later, then!
- Ok, a più tardi.Okay, see you later.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are leaving the office to run errands.
- MatteoDevo andare in banca adesso.I have to go to the bank now.
- MartinaVa bene, a più tardi!Alright, see you later!
- MatteoCi vediamo stasera per la cena.See you this evening for dinner.
- MartinaPerfetto, a dopo!Perfect, see you soon!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry a più tardi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, più, tardi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
